Tot To Upgrade Network In Bangkok

[george]

TOT Corporation Upgrades Bangkok Metropolitan Network With Cisco ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform

BANGKOK, Thailand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 13, 2005--TOT Corporation Public Company Limited, formerly known as Telephone Organization of Thailand, has upgraded its core network for the Bangkok metropolitan area with a Cisco Systems® (Nasdaq:CSCO) optical networking solution built on the Cisco ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP). The solution will help enable TOT, Thailand's leading telecommunications company with more than 7 million telephone lines and a wide range of voice and data services, to increase network capacity from 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) to 320 Gbps without requiring further hardware replacements or additional optical fiber deployments.

The Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP enables multiservice delivery via metro dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM). It integrates DWDM and 32-channel 10 Gbps capability and scales optical transport from tens of kilometers to hundreds of kilometers.

TOT is seeing strong demand for high-speed broadband access and integrated data, voice and video services from its retail and corporate customers. The Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP provides TOT with flexibility to increase or decrease its network capacity to meet demand. Management of the entire network was facilitated by the fact that Cisco was able to supply the complete end-to-end solution from the DWDM, to the core routers, to the distribution and access switches.

The new infrastructure will initially support TOT's residential broadband services in the Bangkok metropolitan area. TOT is also trialing a variety of other services that it will eventually commercialize.

"The competitive landscape today means that it is important for service providers to be able to build and grow cost-effective, reconfigurable telecommunications networks, without affecting or compromising service quality," Mr. Asawin Kangvolkij, managing director, Cisco Systems Thailand. "TOT's decision on Cisco's optical networking solution will allow it to transition its legacy circuit-switched networks to Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks. IP technology affords service providers the ability to cost effectively deliver voice, data, storage, Ethernet, video and other services from a single network."

The Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP provides capital and operational efficiency by addressing the increasing demand for multiple services, greater transport capacity, networking flexibility, multiple distance options and management simplicity in a single platform. With innovative technology, the metro-optimized Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP introduces intelligence to metro DWDM transmission while addressing service providers' need for increased bandwidth.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, celebrates 20 years of commitment to technology innovation, industry leadership, and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to newsroom.cisco.com. Asia Pacific news and information are available at www.cisco.com/asiapac/news.

Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not indicate a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

--Cisco.com (Press Release) 2005-06-13

[camerata]

TOT is seeing strong demand for high-speed broadband access and integrated data, voice and video services from its retail and corporate customers.

Doesn't that violate Thailand's Constitution - a state enterprise competing with the private sector? Oh, I forgot, the TOT registered as a public limited company so it must be OK. But, hey, wait a minute, doesn't the government still own 100% of TOT Corp PLC...?